Top 10 Legendary Cars

What exactly is an automotive legend? Tough question. Many car-addicts.com users elected from a poll of their own personal Top 10legends from the recent automotive history, to a period from World War II until today. The result is an exciting collection of truly legendary cars from around the world.

It is often spoken in car magazines from legendary cars when times some classics mentioned. But why exactly are these vehicles, “legendary”? Often, because they were technically ahead of their time, success in racing after the neighbor reached or because they simply have such a perfect design that they are still highly sought after.
From a large selection of possible candidates, the car-addicts.com members have chosen a list of 10 amazing vehicles, we want to present here with pleasure.

Position 10– German with Italo-roots:BMWM1

The M models of the Bavarian car maker are legendary for sports fans worldwide, with CP are also plenty of followers around the M-granddaddy owned everything in the Top 10 to vote.Donor form of the M1 is a prototype called “BWMTurbo“ from the year 1972, a feasibility study for vehicle safety. Four years later, was started in St. Agatha in Italy the development. Italy? Read correctly, Lamborghini and the designer GiorgioGiugiaro directed by BMW took over the drafting of the vehicle. Problems with the manufacturer of the bull in its logo, however, forced the Bavarians from a home visit and a night-and-dagger operation was carted all the documents and parts to Munich. For the completion of the development was at BMW’s “BMW Motorsport GmbH founded”, which has since been involved in the particularly sporty cars of the AG. The real reason for the construction of the M1 was the planned use in international motorsport. Shortly before the completion of a change in the regulations made the car practically not usable. With limited success, some vehicles have been used in various racing series, only the Procarseries in the Formula1 season in 1979 and 1980 were able to attract some attention. Within the series, the five fastest in F1 came to the training in work vehicles against selected private drivers. Technically, all vehicles were identical, the performance of the series-production vehicle of 277 bhp could be increased to nearly 470 hp. As other manufacturers also devoted to the BMWM1 for a birthday, and more specifically the 30th, a successor vehicle. In the futuristic “M1Homage“ is unfortunately only a design study that will not go into production.

Position 9 – Italian frits counter:Ferrari F40

A poorly functioning air-conditioning, interior tremendously loud noise, horrendous service and maintenance costs and not really mass-compatible frits counter at the rear. Nevertheless, the FerrariF40 it’s an outstanding car. First, an limit was planned on 450 pieces, like in the F50 and Enzo. Due to strong demand, caused inter alia by the death of company founder EnzoFerrari, but was actually the exorbitant number of units built over by 1315 copies. In addition to the uncompromising form in particular the acceleration data are still a record, or to stay in the jargon of the poll, legendary! The time the speedometer from 0 to 200 km/h is required today defeated by only a few cars, take less than 11 seconds. And even then, the tunneling does not stop really, only with slightly over 320 km/h is the end.

Position 8– American Dream:Ford GT40

The FordGT40 was built from 1964 to 1968, a total of only 124 copies. Originally, HenryFordII wanted to buy for his re-entry into the EuropeanMotorsportFerrari, EnzoFerrari however, withdrew its offer to sell the company back. This inspired HenryFordII to build the GT40 for the WorldSportsCarChampionship particularly well – with a legendary success. Four times the GT40 won the 24h of Le Mans from 1966 to 1969. There were different versions of the GT40 with different engines: the MarkI and MarkIII were built with a 4.7-liter engine with 340 hp. Twelve prototypes, however, had a 4.2-liter V8 engine with 306 horsepower. The ShelbyMarkII has a 7-liter V8 Big Block (485 hp missed) to finally teach at the races Ferrari to be afraid – the MarkIV had only body improvements. This flounder, also with the 7-liter engine, 1966 already went 343 km/h top speed!
By the way, what GT stands, everyone knows – but also what means the 40? Very easy – the GT40 is only 40 inches high – this is exactly 102 cm.

Position 7– Ducktail:Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7

There are probably only a handful of German sports cars of the ’70 years that have that reputation. They say the keyword “ducktail” and like a shot from a gun is “Carrera RS back”. Originally the car was designed as a pure homologation vehicle to establish a new race car. That should have 500 copies are sold, at what Porsche even the greatest marketing experts did not believe there is not the Carrera RS, with its glass and plastic thin sheet metal bodywork necessarily constitute the road-concept. Therefore, a equal motorized and also visually enriched, but much better-equipped Touring version brought to the offer. This would probably not even been necessary, for the 210 hp 911 was ripped from the hands of the dealers actually what prompted Porsche to increase the production number twice. At the end, 1590 vehicles found a happy owner. Today, well-maintained cars are traded about 225.000-250.000 euros.

Position 6– Beware of the bull:Lamborghini Miura

FerruccioLamborghini makes its brand new Ferrari250GT from his tractor engine completely decomposed and is sure to be able to do better. Pretty brave. A few years later, his breakthrough came in 1966 with featured at GenevaMiuraP400. This is only the third, but also the first radical sportscar from Lamborghini and sets new standards with its concept and stunning design. Innovative developments in aviation are part of the body, which is provided with a self-supporting and a monocoque driver cell. The 4-liter V12 short stroke is transversely mounted in front of the rear axle and heats its driver properly. These are the best conditions for high cornering speeds, but also in the sprint thunders the strongest version of PS-P400 los SV with 385 hp in rapid 5.5 seconds. The tunneling is slowed down by simultaneous lift on the front axle at about 295 km/h. Built from 1966 – 1973 the Miura through several “evolutions” because Ferruccio was never satisfied. During this period, a total of around 765 vehicles from the original MiuraP400 (350 hp), the P400S (370 hp) and P400SV, including a unique roadster built the factory in Sant’Agata Bolognese.

Position 5 – Connect Four:Audi Quattro

It is exactly 30 years ago that Audi unveiled at the GenevaMotorShow a vehicle that the experts said in amazement. A coupé in itself was nothing special, but then with all-wheel drive? It was previously better at most of the army all-terrain vehicle or tractors, what would such a system in a car? At the latest, known as the first results from the international rally tracks were the competitors was clear that Audi was able to Quattratur of the circle. With the AudiQuattro, now affectionately called “Ur-quattro”, won one almost at will. Rally drivers like StigBlomqvist, MicheleMouton and WalterRöhrl made the Quattro immortal in all its editions. From the normal road-going version with 200 hp reached the bar 1986 to PikesPeakmountainracer, with around 600 hp, which could accelerate in 2.6 seconds from zero to 100 km/h. Only in 1991, production was discontinued.

Position 4-Enzo hit:Ferrari 250 GTO

Forget it if you expect comfort in the 250GTO – this car is made only for hard men! The engine screams mercilessly, it is hot and sticky, and smells of burnt fuel and oil. Somebody paid at an auction an incredible 28.5 million U.S. Dollar! 39 Ferrari vehicles were built from 1962 to 1964. GTO stands for Gran Turismo Omologato, called the 250 in front of the displacement per cylinder. It is beset no doubt what he was built – he belonged to the race track. Enzo had him brought into the tricky GTracingsport, it really did not need at least 100 copies of a built homologation. With its 3-liter Colombo V12engine and 302 hp at 7,500 rpm, he briefly captured the racing world and merciless – he won the GTchampionships in 1962 and 1963 and numerous other hip races, such as The 12 hours of Sebring. No wonder, with a weight of only around 1,100 kg, the 302 HP catapult the 250GTO in 6.1 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h. Its top speed is about 280 km/h.

Position 3–From the middle-a threesome: McLaren F1

Ones and zeros – two numbers in connection with the McLarenF1 appear very often. 100 copies produced, 1.500.000 euros price, long the world’s fastest production car, 1 Place at the 1 Start of the 24h of Le Mans… You do not have long to deal with this car, in order to develop a certain affinity.
Ventilated by a V12 engine of the BMW company, McLaren brings from 6.1 liters of displacement 627 horsepower on the street, speeding in 3.4 seconds to 100 and incredible 9.4 seconds to 200 km/h. Even the 300 km/h mark is no wall for this legend, the acceleration did not end until the other side of 380! The driver must be at these speeds feel like a pilot. For a more equitable balance, but also for a better driving feel that is he sits in the middle of the vehicle. This required not only a passenger, no, absolutely not typical sports car so you could take two passengers. These were then placed on the left and right behind the driver. GordonMurray, the architect of the F1 achieved all, not only with the engine and aerodynamics, but mainly through lightweight. Gold foil was used as the heat of the body parts, the on-board tool was made of magnesium, with air conditioning and radio were also installed weight-specific systems. All these measures led kg with a standard empty weight of 1,140, the racing versions came to less than 1,000 kg even! Some of these versions were previous prepared for use on the street, a conversation among the passengers was able to still take place but only with the supplied headset. Desire is the same as F1 today at the launch 16 years ago, on the rare sales of 1 million euro mark is breached again every time, no miracle can be produced in only 100 copies, of which 64 moved on public roads. 2010 McLaren wants to recall the legend of the F1 again. After the production of the MercedesSLRMcLaren has expired, will be delivered towards the end of the MP4-12C to the first customers.

Position 2– Gull wing:Mercedes-Benz 300 SL

Imagine you are developing a car. First, the floor pan, frame, then engine, seats, etc., and at the end you want to put up the doors, but must say that this is not accomplished in conventional ways. What now? The design in the garbage or an innovative solution will be sought. The engineers at Mercedes focused in 1953, the same decision and decided against the dumpster. She unscrewed the door hinges to the roof and inventing entirely new doors. The aerodynamically favorable form of the gull-wing allowed a top speed of over 200 km/h. What today elicits no valve behind the stove, was then a sensation! To get the SL at this speed, it was first necessary to go into the vehicle. This turned out won’t be not too easy. One, by the underlying trellis frame, very wide sill wanted to be overcome. The steering wheel does not slip into facilitating the deep position of the seats now, so we devised is another highlight. The steering wheel could be folded down! Between 1954 and 1957 1,400 copies of the Gullwing was built, which were delivered at about 1,100 in the UnitedStates. The United States, more specifically, the importer MaxHoffman was the reason for the development of the 300SL road car. He worked on the Mercedes-board until one, about 6 months prior to the subsequent presentation, decided to build the SL. He saw a large market for sports cars outside Europe, the high export share of total gave him quite definitely! 55 years after the GullwingMercedes shows the legitimate heirs, the Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS.

Position 1– Awesome:Lamborghini Countach

The legend of the automotive dream already begins with the naming. An employee at Lamborghini exclaimed “Countach” when he saw the stand of the sports car prototypes in St. Agatha. Orthographically we can’t translate this word to 100 percent, but it should be placed somewhere between astonishment and admiration of a not quite adult ecstasy. One could also say in English “awesome“. In the production period of no less than 16 years, nearly 2,000 copies were made, spread over 3 prototypes and five stages of evolution, which ended with the LamborghiniCountach25 Anniversary, a model for the 25th anniversary of the brand. The angular and altogether too aggressive basic shape of the Countach was taken in the follow models. The Diablo and Murcielago can’t and will not deny origins. Especially the door concept is found today in the top models from Lamborghini. That’s why is voted “the greatest legend of recent automotive history” by the car-addicts.com users.

5 comments

Any motorist will know that, no matter how much money you pay for a car, how new or old it is, there will always be something that can go wrong. It doesn’t matter how rare the fault is, or how well the car runs most of the time, eventually something can go wrong – and when it does, you often find yourself having to hand over plenty of cash to get it repaired.

I have a 2007 ford focus zx3 that only has 34000 km on it but for some reason it just stopped turning on the other day, it turns over but nothing happens. I realize this may not be the best place to ask (obviously) I’m just desperate.